Fix
by Shizune-hime
Summary: There's an appliance in the household that needs fixing, and Cloud has the right remedy for that. WARNING: LEMON! Cloti. FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**___I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or its franchise, in any way possible. All characters and mentioned names belong to Square Enix._

**Ch. 01: Problem**

Well… Tifa was pissed.

She stood there on the wet floor, staring at the contraption that possibly just ate all her clothes. She wasn't the mechanic-type; she needed Cloud for this. But Cloud being Cloud was away, doing deliveries, and even if she did call him up and told him about it he wouldn't answer the phone. He hadn't changed, ever since that night she scolded him with that ever-famous line even the kids memorized: _"You don't answer your phone, but I don't see you throwing it away either."_

Doe eyes fixated on the machine and hands on her hips, she tilted her head with a scowl and pondered. If she kicked it, would it work up again? But then again a normal kick from her seemed like a firework explosion. And she couldn't bother to buy a new machine. She sighed deeply and shook her head.

"Fine. Eat up our clothes." Tifa growled quietly. She pointed at it like it was animate. "I won't be blamed for torn-up clothes anyway! I won't be the one buying new clothes."

… And then she remembered her favorite pair of jeans was in there. In horror, she clutched at her hair in clumps and squealed in annoyance to herself.

"…What are you doing?"

"AH!" Tifa turned, completely flustered. "…Uhh… um…"

Cloud stepped into the room, and looked at the washing machine. He glanced at Tifa once and then back at the droning, white contraption. "…I thought you were talking to someone in here," he said.

"Well?…" Tifa frowned, but then folded her arms and snorted. "Pfft, yes, I was talking to this." She sighed. "Okay, fine, it broke. It jammed, and soap's been getting out." The fighter picked the mop from the corner – which she had kept near her for the past hour – and started mopping the wetness that pooled on the floor from the machine. "I don't know what happened. It just started eating up clothes!" 

Cloud, knowing what Tifa was like when something was broken, bothered to ask, "Did you kick it?"

"No," Tifa said, "… but I wanted to."

Cloud sighed. "You want to kick everything that doesn't work right… but thanks for not kicking this one, we wouldn't be able to afford to buy a new one if you did." He shook his head. "Could you hand me the toolbox?"

"Where is it?"

"Downstairs, in the cabinet right behind the bar. Lowest shelf."

"Right." Tifa stopped mopping up for a moment and exited the room. Another dismayed sigh escaped her as she shuffled to get it, opening cabinet doors here and there. When she came back up she found Cloud squatting by the side of the washing machine. He had just unplugged it. "…Oh. Man, I forgot, I'm so sorry," Tifa noted.

"It's alright," Cloud said as he peered behind his shoulder. Tifa walked over to him and handed the toolbox. "… You should get the vacuum downstairs."

"… What for?"

"Have to drain the water," Cloud said, shrugging. "Let's just give it a shot."

"But wouldn't the water jam the vacuum too?"

"We don't have a pump, or a hose to get the water out, so…" Cloud nodded. "Next best thing. Unless you prefer a cup and basin, then that's fine with me."

"Okay then, whatever you say, Mr. Muscle." Tifa scuffled downstairs again and dragged the vacuum out of its usual hiding place - right behind the stairs - and carried it up. She had to tap the door open with her foot so she could get in, and when she set it down, she and Cloud got to work.

When the water was drained, Cloud opened up the washing machine. Tifa wanted to get a rag for him but apparently, the sellsword opted to plug in the vacuum cleaner, and let it suck out all the water from inside. Luckily, it didn't jam. Then he turned it off, removed his upper garments and just used it to wipe the inside off of the remaining soapy water. And Tifa couldn't help but look, watch his fair-skinned, taut muscles contract and relax as he started to clean and try to fix the machine.

"U-Um…"

Cloud didn't seem to care. Just proceeded to work as he sighed.

"I'm really glad you didn't kick this thing."

"Yeah, well… I wonder if you'd get mad at me if I did."

Cloud shrugged. "I could never get mad at you."

Tifa blinked. Did he really say that?

"… Really?"

"Mmhm." Cloud smiled slightly, dismantling the washing machine. "… Could never."

Tifa folded her arms. "… Yeah? Why not?"

"Well, for one…" Cloud grunted as he tried to get into those hard-to-reach places and wipe it clean, "The kids would kill me if I got mad at you. You know how they don't like it when we're fighting."

"Excuse me - _arguing."_ Tifa grinned. "If you fought with me it'd involve fists or weapons." She laughed a bit, and pondered. "…I could never get mad at you either."

"Yeah?"

"Chyeah!" Tifa smirked. She leaned back against the nearby table where heaps of laundry were found. "Could never."

"Why not?" Cloud asked, focusing on the washing machine. He started piecing it back together again, and he plugged it in again and turned it on. It was working fine.

… And possibly for the first time in her life, she became quiet.

Why _did_ Tifa like Cloud?…

She really liked Cloud, admired his tenacity and integrity, but oftentimes wondered if being quiet almost half the time helped him hone his social skills with others. Cloud, being Cloud, was naturally a man of few words, and if anyhing, even Tifa couldn't get the truth out from him unless _he_ felt like saying so. But she liked it when he softened around the kids, when he gave them smiles and encouraged them in the silence of an afternoon spent in Edge that they should do their homeworks well or make sure no one bullied them in school. Tifa wondered when he would ever soften like that around her, and clearly she reveled in it just for a moment's passing, but truthful to herself and in her full honesty she never really came to terms with why she really admired the guy. Neither did she ever bother to ask herself why she liked a bright blonde-haired ex-SOLDIER turned delivery boy, or why she was drawn to him. It was clearly beyond the fact that they were childhood friends, that they knew each other for years on end, and while Cloud was crouched there, starting to sweat, and working on the washing machine, she realized she was rather getting… warm, in certain places.

… Ah, the bliss one can find with just the mere sight of inches of skin…

She didn't realize that the warmth grew slicker, and that she stared dead-on, until Cloud stood and handed her the wrench and screwdriver. "Tifa?"

Tifa looked up with a snap, meeting his stark blue eyes. "Hunh?"

Cloud blinked. "… You okay?"

"Uh… yeah!" The fighter took the tools from him quickly. "Yeah, I'm alright." Without hesitation she went over to the toolbox, and slipped the tools in. "Just uh… thinking about some things." With her back turned to Cloud, she shut her eyes tight, hoping he'd never read what she was _really_ thinking. "… I'm taking the kids out for a walk today," she noted.

"Oh…" Cloud frowned, unbeknownst to her. "…Both?"

"Yeah," Tifa said. "I haven't really had the time to spend with them recently, so…"

"Mm." Cloud only nodded. He had been keeping some words he wanted to say to her, though, and had been trying to hold it in for days. How was he going to tell her?

He stepped up to her back facing him, so close to her shoulders. "… I never really got my answer."

"To what?"

"Why can't you stay mad at me?"

Tifa cleared her throat. "A number of reasons."

"Like?"

"…Well…" Tifa looked up at the ceiling as she pondered, "The kids would get angry." She laughed just a bit. "And it's difficult if we did. We're under the same roof and we're angry at each other?…" Tifa shook her head and sighed. "And you and I have been friends for a really long time, and through good and bad we've been there for each other. So…"

"Through good and bad…" Cloud slightly nodded. He wanted to say so much to her that he never really took the time to say before; deep in Tifa's heart, she felt the same too.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**___I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or its franchise, in any way possible. All characters and mentioned names belong to Square Enix._

**Ch. 01: Solution**

The rumble of the washing machine echoed in the laundry room. The veranda's doors were wide open and in came the stark city breeze that was only found in Edge. Cloud and Tifa remained quiet for a moment, until Cloud brushed his shoulder against hers and leaned his forehead on her shoulder.

"For whatever fault I've done… for the years that I've been around you… I'm really sorry. And… I guess hearing from you that you can't stay mad at me, I'm forgiven?"

Tifa frowned. Ahh, that topic again. Forgiveness. "Of course I do, what are you talking about?" She turned to face him with a scowl and he raised his head. "Of course I would forgive you. Tirelessly, in fact. So I guess I'm forgiven for that washing machine then, huh? Since you can't stay mad at me, you say."

Cloud chuckled quietly and shook his head, stepping in closer. He took Tifa's hand and held it in his, holding a gaze with her. He just smiled.

"…Tirelessly."

"Yeah?"

Cloud nodded.

Tifa looked away for a moment, pouting. "Hmm…"

"What is it?"

She looked back at him with a smile. "Tirelessly, huh."

"Why do I feel like you don't believe me at all when I say something…"

"Hey, I never said that."

Cloud frowned. The next words just rolled out of his mouth. "…Want me to prove it, then?"

Tifa raised a brow. "… I don't think I'm quite familiar with whatever method you're going to do. Tell me first?"

Cloud leaned in closer. "… … … I'd rather show you, I think…"

He tugged her much closer by the hips until their stomachs were flush, and she obliged with hands on his arms. Willingly she surrendered as Cloud nudged her face up softly with his nose, as if to nuzzle and coax her softly.

"…Cloud…"

Tifa found herself gripping his arms a bit tighter, as if telling him to just hold her close and never let go. And soon enough he captured her in a gentle kiss, and Tifa's eyes closed. She felt lulled by it, somehow, but more so when Cloud wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands at opposite sides of her hips.

The mere feel of his skin against hers made her feel uncomfortable. When their tongues began to dance gently and their breathing hitched, everything seemed to just whizz right by. All reason seemed to disappear. The fighter tugged Cloud more against her by the seam in his pants, but Cloud took control - he gently walked Tifa backward as he hoped to reach the wall at the other end of the room as he didn't break the kiss, and with both of their eyes closed Tifa yelped when she felt the base of her spine bump against the edge of the still-rumbling washing machine. For a moment she totally forgot it was on. Tifa held onto Cloud for support; he grunted as she broke the kiss, thankful he didn't bite her lip when the impact occurred.

Tifa groaned and rubbed her back in pain, apparently arching her back which made her chest jutt out slightly. Cloud blinked and pulled her closer, caressing the spot that got hit by the machine. "Are you okay?" he asked. "I'm really sorry."

"I'm fine... it's okay." She sighed, smiling just a bit. She found herself staring at Cloud's apparently-light pink, seemingly swollen lips from the kiss, and when he bit his lower lip she felt his hand snaking underneath the back of her shirt and up, caressing lightly with a fingertip... and then two... and then three. It felt like he was cooking scrambled eggs on her skin, but lightly.

The teasing was unbearable, of course, and she found her knees weakening and her eyes closing as she panted slightly, reaching behind her to grip on the edge of the machine. "C-Cloud..."

Cloud, on the other hand, took the chance to step in, settling his legs around one of her thighs, and in his advantage push his knee up against her warming crest. It wasn't so easy for Tifa to try and not feel it; she gasped sharply when his knee junctioned against her and he pressed closer, moving just a bit, rendering his knee to rub against her. Tifa wanted him to stop and _not _stop, in all honesty, and Cloud could read that. So as for his hand underneath her shirt at the back, it slipped lower, and lower, down her skort, and when he felt her skin he could feel his own arousal come to life.

Tifa blushed when she felt a certain tent in his pants start to form, felt it press against her thigh. She could only try to focus in his eyes, and when she heard the next words come out, she cleared her throat.

_"Trust me."_

"I trust you," she whispered, right against his lips, and with that Cloud slipped his hands into a space he found comfortable, feeling the heat start to wisp around his incoming hand. He cupped underneath, in between the familiar back mounds - he didn't realize how shapely she was. He did like a girl with hips, and Tifa was just perfect. When he reached her nether regions Tifa wanted to yelp out, but bit her lip instead. Automatically, her legs spasmed for a moment when he touched her, and she opened her legs just slightly to welcome his hand.

Cloud muttered against her lips comfortingly, the other free hand reaching up to tug her vest's zipper down, giving her soft kisses. "I won't hurt you," he said, "I promise."

"I know you won't," Tifa said, speaking in between feather-light kisses. "Just... what are we doing... and why here..."

Cloud smiled against her mouth. "...I figured the machine needed a test drive," he noted. "And... besides... you get wet too quickly," he said, grinning. _Actually_ grinning.

"I hate you for t-tha- Cloud...!" Tifa moaned soft when Cloud slipped a finger inside her, caressed inside as she tried to hold onto him. One of her legs raised to give him more access; Cloud liked the tight space in her garment, leading him to slip another finger into her, letting them thrust softly, in and out of her tightly. As for his other free hand, he slipped it under the front of her shirt and underneath her bra, cupping one of her breasts in his hand gently.

"Yes, Miss Lockhart?" Cloud asked, rubbing a thumb over an already-hard nipple.

Tifa's body couldn't help but excrete more of the wetness Cloud was wanting. Before she knew it, her hips were grinding against his, and against the digit he slipped in. "W-What... gave you th-that... 'test drive'... idea..." She moaned again, a hand reaching down to clutch the seam of his pants. "Crazy..."

Cloud kissed her one last time. "Since you spend so much of your time here in the laundry room... and because you technically wrecked it..." he said, "Whoever 'drove' it last, must test it. And because I helped you fix it, Tifa." He caressed inside her again with a digit, but slipped another into her as he kissed along her neck. Tifa clutched at his hair, the feel of him against her in every way just driving her crazy. "You smell like roses," he noted.

"H-Hah... mm, I used a.. p-perfume... Yuffie gave m-me..."

"Wear it. Always," he remarked, smelling her skin as much as he could. He couldn't bear the excitement he was feeling in his veins anymore; he wanted her pretty badly. "I never told you before," he started again, catching her attention but stopping his caresses down there, "...I've always adored you, Tifa.."

Tifa regained her steady breathing and looked at him in the eyes. "Hmm... well... everybody knows you went into SOLDIER to impress me... or at least all of Nibelheim knew that." She grinned slightly, but still feeling a bit hazy to his teasing. "...But, we all know what happened, and who your heart preferred..." She shrugged and smiled slightly. "Just... don't treat me as a rebound. That's all I'm asking. And you can always impress me again, you know."

Cloud nuzzled his nose against hers again. "You're not a rebound. And if ever you were, it's because I've settled things already." He looked out the window, slipping his hands out from underneath her garments.

Tifa blinked. "Oh?..."

"Mm..." Cloud nodded. "I think she'd want us to be happy anyway... and you've always been here for me. I'm sorry I was... blind to not see that."

Tifa bit her lip. Of course, that certain "she" that Cloud mentioned was someone she knew quite perfectly well. In fact that certain "she" was a girl who was kidnapped alongside her for Don Corneo's plans, many years ago. Banishing the idea, she took his hands and caressed them, not caring if she could feel her essence coating his digits.

"I'm sorry I was too hard on you... you know what I mean." Tifa frowned. "I just... I guess I wanted you to see I was here..."

Cloud placed his hands on either side of her waist and caressed them. "I see it now."

Tifa caressed his exposed torso, until she swerved her palms up and over his front muscles and linked her arms around his neck. Both sighed as their lips pressed lightly against each other. She realized she really couldn't live without him, and didn't care how long it took for all that was never said in the past, to be said and settled.

"... Want me?..."

Cloud kissed her again. "Always did."

"Take me..."

Without hesitation Cloud gripped underneath her thighs and made her cling to him, letting her wrap her legs around his waist. He sat her on top of the closed washing machine, and while they hungrily kissed and let their tongues caress each other as moans escaped, Cloud tugged her skort and underwear away. By the Lifestream's blessing, she was beautiful. All of her skin exposed to him, he liked how her figure just cascaded - all the curves were just right. Everything about her was perfect. But Cloud was turned on much more when Tifa sat there as the machine rumbled, sending little tremors through her body to make her shake.

Cloud slipped her shoes off, his gaze never leaving hers, and Tifa helped him out by removing all her upper garments. She sat up and tugged him closer by his pants, and slowly reached inside to tame the beast in there that wanted to get out. Cloud panted as he leaned down to kiss Tifa, and she stroked and caressed him like he imagined and _never_ imagined her to do. He kissed her with fervor, soft moans escaping him as she touched him, and when both couldn't take it anymore they helped each other remove his pants. When the pants fell to his ankles he pressed against her, both reaching down to each other's nether regions again to coax and comfort.

"...Do you really want this?..." Cloud asked. "We don't have to do it..."

Tifa kissed him again, along his jawline and reached up to pull him down gently by his hair, and kissed his ear. "...I'm pretty sure you want it the same way I do."

Cloud smirked against her shoulder and pressed his member closer against her own warm junction, rubbing the tip against her slick opening. He kissed along her shoulder and pulled her closer with the free hand, caressing her backside gently as he entered her, and he gave a warm and gentle sigh when he did. Tifa, on the other hand, clenched around him and whimpered with the pain - somehow things right now were perfect and not perfect. She did admit to herself that if there was anyone she wanted that would touch her for the first time, it was Cloud. The fact that it was happening was perfect. What made it _not _perfect at all was that it was 2:30 in the afternoon - sooner or later the kids would be coming home. And if they heard what was going on upstairs, it would be rather embarrassing.

Cloud gently thrusted into her, trying to make the pain as unnoticeable as possible. As much as he knew that was impossible, he still tried. He wanted Tifa to feel loved, to feel safe and secure with him, and he felt that by the way she clung to him like glue on paper she entrusted him with all her heart. Cloud didn't want to break that. Tifa, on the other hand, wanted to give all of herself to him - make him feel complete, make him feel like he was never alone in the first place. She panted softly and whimpered, ground her hips against his to help him move easily, especially if they could settle with a certain rhythm.

Cloud comfortingly kissed her ear over and over, let his hips buck in short thrusts into her. He honestly wanted to take her at breakneck speed but restrained himself because he didn't want to hurt her. What he didn't know, however, was that Tifa wanted him to.

"G-Gaia, you feel incredible, do you know that?"

Tifa managed a chuckle and wrapped her arms around his back, nails digging into his skin. "You're not too shabby yourself," she replied. Both laughed for a minute in between breaths and kissed, and soon enough the pace was picking up. Tifa was slightly afraid the machine would break. "C-Cloud, faster..."

Cloud grunted as he kept thrusting into her and leaned forward, reclining Tifa just slightly, and placed his arms on the edge of the machine as his forearms pushed against the underside of her thighs, pushing them back. His hips kept moving, and Tifa, unable to take the overload of pleasure but adoring it, lay down and bit her knuckles. Moans continued to come from her swollen lips from all the kisses, and Cloud couldn't help but snake his hands up to cup her breasts gently, giving each of her nipples fair and gentle treatments. Tifa's legs locked around his back and she whimpered with what he was doing, watching his mouth. She could feel her own essence seep out even more.

"C-Cloud, I'm... g-going to...!"

Cloud, thrusting faster, almost pounding into her really, leaned up and kissed her deep. Tifa was pressing her face up against his own and the pressure in each other's bodies was building – and she mentally thanked the machine for that. After giving each other warnings, they came together like fireworks, whimpers and groans escaping as each other's warmth mixed, letting them hold each other in the afterglow. They tried to regain their breathing and after a while, their eyes closed as they leaned against each other's foreheads, their bodies riddled with sweat. Tifa could only caress his cheeks as she tried to relax, feeling her body jerk for just a while until her orgasm subsided. Cloud gave her more kisses, soft ones, along her neck and shoulders. He kissed her ear.

"...I bought a new bed yesterday; I wanted to show you yesterday afternoon but you were asleep," he noted. "…Hopefully it doesn't break, hm?" With a soft moan and a kiss, he slipped out of her, grabbing his clothes. He smirked down at her when he unplugged the washing machine.

Tifa blinked and sighed as she looked around, touching herself one last time before getting off the machine. She bit her lip as she grabbed her clothes, smiling to herself as she shook her head and went downstairs to the hallway where Cloud wanted her to be.


End file.
